http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_16094856
By Michelle J. Mills
Posted: 09/16/2010
Whether it was their folk, country or psychedelic rock, many of us
can claim a connection to The Byrds. The group's lyrics linger on our
lips; the grooves ring out as muzak in the elevator; their songs are
used in the background of films and TV shows. When we hear the band's
music, we are instantly back to the time and the place where we first
heard these timeless tunes. On Tuesday, you can experience the band
live in the form of a tribute band, The Byrds Collective, at the
Coffee Gallery Backstage.
"The popularity of tribute bands is you get to go see someone that's
almost as good as the original band in your backyard for pennies on
the dollar, and they sound good," said Pat Hayes.
Santa Clarita resident Hayes plays bass in the The Byrds' tribute
band in the roles of Chris Hillman, John York and Skip Battin. The
band is rounded out by Mark Miraglia (Jim/Roger McGuinn) of Burbank
on 12-string Rickenbacker guitar, guitarists David Michaels (David
Crosby) of Santa Clarita and Ken Hearn (Gene Clark) of Toluca Lake
and Riverside drummer David Denk (Michael Clarke).
The members of The Byrds Collective hint at impersonating the
musicians each represents, but their main focus is on the sound. With
the impressive harmonies and distinct instrumentation intact, they
cover the top hits, as well as the b-sides of 45s from the band's
repertoire from 1965-1973, such as "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Eight Miles
High," "So You Wanna Be a Rock n' Roll Star?," "Ballad of Easy Rider"
and "Hickory Wind."
"You get all aspects of the music, the psychedelic, the folk and the
country," Hayes said. "I think The Byrds had songs you could go away
humming. They had really great vocals, they just had a magical sound
where you just felt good listening to them. Even during that time,
during the Vietnam War, it wasn't real political and it wasn't angry music."
Adding to the fun, The Byrds Collective gives away its CDs to the
audience at its shows. Each album is created by the band specifically
for the night, featuring different artwork and song selections. The
group can also be heard on its Web site, www.thebyrdscollective.com,
and on iTunes (performing licensed material).
The Byrds Collective usually performs three to four times a month in
venues throughout Southern California. After its show at the Coffee
Gallery Backstage, the band will perform at The Cellar in Long Beach.
And live is what the group does best, as they serve up their songs
with a spark of humor.
"We always do `Turn! Turn! Turn!' and you get your minimum daily
requirement of religion by doing that and you can sing along with
us," Hayes said. "Normally we hand out little pamphlets with the
words and you can sing and it counts as going to church for the day."
--
michelle.mills@sgvn.com
626-962-8811 Ext. 2128
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THE BYRDS COLLECTIVE
8 p.m. Tuesday
Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena
$18, all ages
626-794-2424
www.coffeegallery.com, www.thebyrdscollective.com
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